Cats take care of business, down Owls

By JEFFREY McMURRAYAssociated Press Writer LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - After throwing 325 consecutive passeswithout an interception, Andre Woodson was due to have one end upin the wrong hands. The Kentucky quarterback's record-setting streak ended Saturdayagainst Florida Atlantic, though little else went wrong for Woodsonand the 14th-ranked Wildcats in a 45-17 victory. He threw a career-high five TDs and would have had a sixth TD,but his toss to fullback John Conner was picked off by Tavious Poloas the two players battled for the ball near the goal line. It wasthe seventh interception of the year for the freshman cornerback,who came into the game as the national leader. "It was a foolish throw," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said."He threw off his back foot. We won't have to have everybodytalking about (the streak) anymore. He can start another one." Woodson, who set the NCAA mark last week against Arkansas bysurpassing Trent Dilfer's major college record of 271 straightpasses without an interception, said he was honored to be part ofhistory but never was much interested in the record. "It hasn't fazed me one bit," Woodson said. It didn't look like it Saturday either, as he connected on 26 of33 passes for a season-high 301 yards in just over three quarters. The emerging Heisman Trophy contender pushed the streak past 300in the Wildcats' opening drive, which ended with a 14-yard strikethat Dicky Lyons Jr. cradled from his knees in the back of the endzone. Lyons later scored from 22 yards out. "He's proven to everyone in the nation that he is what he'sexpected to be, and I think he's only going to keep improving,"Lyons said. After the Owls answered with a field goal, Woodson struck again.This time he connected with Steve Johnson for a 27-yard TD. By the time the first half was finished, Kentucky (5-0) was up28-10, all from Woodson's TD passes. The final one of the half wasa perfectly placed 34-yarder between two defenders to KeenanBurton, who dived into the end zone, his arm outstretched with theball. With the catch, Burton became the third Kentucky player inhistory to reach 2,000 career receiving yards. Afterward, all ofBurton's attention was focused on his lobbying campaign to get hisquarterback voted as the nation's top player. "I'm going to put so much pressure on him that he has to winthe Heisman," Burton said. "Andre just continues to amaze me andamaze everybody." Florida Atlantic (3-2) came into the game ranked secondnationally in turnover margin, with nine more gains than losses.Although Polo was the team's turnover star, Woodson didn't shy awayfrom him, throwing his way numerous time, starting with the firstpass. Kentucky chipped away at the Owls' turnover margin, recovering afumble and grabbing interceptions by Braxton Kelley and MicahJohnson, the latter returned 16 yards for the Wildcats' finalscore. "They definitely look like an SEC defense," Florida Atlanticquarterback Rusty Smith said. "They were big and they were strongand they were fast." Florida Atlantic is coached by Kentucky alumnus HowardSchnellenberger, who is credited with resurrecting programs atMiami and Louisville. Schnellenberger tried some trickery,including reverses and a hook and lateral play that resulted in 17yards. Schnellenberger also heaped praised on Woodson. "He is the most careful quarterback that I have been around,"he said. "He has worked an awfully long time with those receiversto know where they are going to be when they do certain things." The Owls did reach the end zone twice, in the second quarter ona 20-yard pass from Smith to Cortez Gent, and in the fourth on a1-yard plunge from Charles Pierre set up by a long kickoff return. In the end, however, Florida Atlantic couldn't keep up with theWildcats' speed. Kentucky running back Rafael Little had 20 carriesfor 112 yards, and Burton led all receivers with 100 yards. Kentucky faces a short week of practices before heading to SouthCarolina Thursday to face Steve Spurrier, who the Wildcats havenever beaten. Other SEC titans follow, LSU and defending nationalchampion Florida. "We've positioned ourselves to have an opportunity to do somepretty exciting things," Brooks said.

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